I want to introduce my friend....

Never heard of that. I assume it's an upright. What color is it? What type of leaf?

http://www.lazyssfarm.com/Plants/Shrubs/A-Ch%20Shrubs/A-Ch%20Images/acer_palmatum_our_back_yard.htm

Victor, yes, it's an upright. The leaves are green, five pointed, deeply lobed with serrated edges. I'll take a picture when I get my camera back.

I hope that link works for you.

Looks nice. Not too many fast growing J. Maples. Good luck!

Thanks. I'm not sure about it. I'll keep you updated on how it's doing. I want to make sure it doesn't get too weak or buggy.

Harper

I've got a nasty pic with one of my generic japanese maples in it. For some reason I have a lot of purples/dark red that are all a little bit different and don't look good together.

Not so bad, Al! Would have been unbearable if there was a Dahlia thrown in there. Just kidding!

Victor, I got my viburnum yesterday! I think they are decent plants for the price. of course, the shipping is a killer from Oregon (ForestFarm)

heres 'Erie' (it's bushier than it looks, didn't take off the ties yet)

and 'Michael Dodge'

they were both gallons, one was $12 and the other $15

I'm concentrating on getting shrubs into this bed before I worry too much about anything else. I already put in a Purple ninebark 'Summer Wine', which DH fell in love with when I brought it home.

Andrea, I have also ordered a Chaenomeles 'Cameo'. How do you like yours?
and Itea virginica 'Merlot'. I was going to get 'Little Henry', but ForestFarm didn't have it and 'Merlot is a compact variety also. still on my list are Hypericum Albury Purple, Lindera benzoin (I planted some seeds this year, but nothing has germinated yet), a couple of magnolia (I've seen 'Jane'...very pretty).

Victor, I REALLY want a Cornus kousa. I hope by next year. Any recommendations?

here's my Jap. maple. may be a 'Bloodgood'...landscaper didn't specify the cultivar

Jan, I have C. kousa 'Satomi' and I love it. Will be blooming soon with pink flowers. Fall color is very nice. Next year (or this Fall) keep Fairweather Gardens in mind for trees and shrubs. Their shipping should be better, though it's not cheap. But their plants are always big and healthy.

I like Summer Wine and have a few. But look into Physocarpus 'Coppertina'. I like that even better. The foliage color is incredible. Here's a photo of the plant in bloom last year.

Victor, somewhere along the line, I will definitely get a P. 'Coppertina'. I had trouble deciding between the 2, but the foliage color of 'Summer Wine' works better in that spot.

I'll look at C. kousa 'Satomi'. It's one of the few with pink flowers, isn't it?

I will check Fairweather first next time I order. I like to order from east coast companies. Usually saves money on shipping and less stress on the plants because they aren't in transit as long. Besides which I like plants that already acclimated to the NE if possible.

Yes - pink flowers.

Well, I went for strictly fragrance for my gardens (well, for the most part) I planted a little tiny Virburnum x burkwoodii Mohawk. It's only about 14" tall right now - so I suppose I will have to wait 4 or 5 years for blossoms. This is what it is supposed to look like then:

Picture is from Bluestone Perennials.

I've heard that the V. judii is supposed to smell awesome. I have room for one Viburnum, I want to make sure I get the right one!

Harper

I have tree and shrub envy, lol! Because I live in the city and our lots are not that large, I am out of room for any more trees unless they can take deep shade. I love to see what everyone has chosen. I keep googling the names. Very nice!

Jackie

I have both and they both smell great. So does 'Cayuga'. It doesn't fill the garden with the scent like other plants do. You do have to sniff. I have a nice shot of Mohawk on Planfiles. It's a very slow grower. Judii has grown faster for me and Cayuga is growing decently - it's only my second year.

Thanks for the info on Mohawk, Victor . . . now I won't panic when it takes forever to grow :-)

I have recently started thinking about the fact that I should have more ornamental trees and shrubs in my garden, so this has been good to read. Anyone have a shrub recommendation for dry shade? Also , a good vendor?

How dry? How big? Fragrance? Berries? I can keep going...

It's under maple & oak trees, so quite dry. I would love fragrance &/or berries but visuals are top priority.

Acanthopanax sieboldianus (nice variegated one available), Kerria japonica (bright yellow single or double flowers and bright green winter stems) and Symphoricarpos albus (white berries) come to mind. I have all three. I'll think of more.

Thank you!

I only have the kerria of those 3(Golden Guinea) not the fanciest foliage, but it does flower in full shade.

Now that my Italian Dad will be 80 this year, does that make him a Golden Guinea??

Dave, there are also a number of shade tolerant Viburnums that would probably work. I'm a big fan of Viburnum, in case you haven't noticed. It's one of my favorite genera. (Isn't that a kind of salami??)

I guess that makes a new born italian a New Guinea? If it's crying, would you consider it 'impatiens' ?

Ohhhhh stop Anita, stop!!

Victor, Where do you buy shrubs from? Anyone have vendor choices?

I like viburnums. Some of them get borers here. Mohican is one tough cookie though.

Dave - a few sources. Fairweather Gardens is a favorite. Garden Crossings used to be just perennials but now have many shrubs. Theirs are smaller sizes though - 5.5 inch pots. Fairweather has bigger sizes and the stuff is always nice and healthy and bushy. No twigs from them.

Thanks again!

I just put in another order with GC - echinacea - how odd. I am happy with their first order this year.

Oh I'm a big fan of GC. They are on my 'gold' list. They're nice guys as well. Incredible packing. Great customer service and now, quite a nice selection. Nice Clematis.

I ordered from GC last year, about 20 plants. Had a problem with 2 of them and they immediately replaced the entire order. So I have a huge bonus of beautiful plants in my garden this spring. I almost felt bad about complaining. Talk about 'above and beyond' in customer service.

edit to add: if you hang around the Tree & shrub forum ffor 10 minutes you will want a viburnum, and now we have Victor here as an enabler. I'm hooked.

This message was edited Jun 8, 2007 7:59 AM

speaking of enablers...Al, I planted a new helenium yesterday...'Ruby Dwarf'. Last year I got 'Flammenspiel' and 'Mardi Gras'. then I got 2 'Red & Gold' at Hazzard's fall sale for 1.80 ea. I had about given up on them, but I see green coming up on one this week, so at least one has survived. again, I'm hooked...need that fall color.

I have every kind of helenium they sell locally, I put them all in their own bed this year too. I can't believe you have some coming up now. Fall color is easy though - I know you have asters too - did you add any of those this year? I am in a color lull here right now.

I have no Helenium. I'm gonna have to get some. Always nice to have Fall flowers.

I'm in a lull too - but I have a few annuals that are filling that void. I have one last Iris that has buds, my daylillies are getting ready as well as some of my hydrangea. Here is the only perennial color I have going right now.

My iris are all late ones, so they aren't all open yet. and I'm still waiting for a clematis that's full of buds.

Al, no new asters this year. Blew the flower budget on roses :0) when I do get more, I love that big pink you have.

No real lull here. Have the following in bloom: a few Iris, Salvia, Pinks, Clematis, Coreopsis, Roses (full bloom), Weigela, Oenothera, Water Lilies, Water Iris. Cornus kousa getting ready, along with Stella D'Oro Daylily and a number of others.